Former NBA player and assistant coach Damon Jones is expected to plead guilty to federal charges over allegations he provided nonpublic information to gamblers, according to a new court filing.
Jones was accused last year when federal officials revealed charges in separate investigations into illegal sports betting and mafia-tied poker games that involved current and former NBA players.
According to the indictment, Jones was working in an unofficial capacity with the Los Angeles Lakers when he sold information on a prominent player’s injury to bettors.
The former guard initially entered a not guilty plea to wire fraud conspiracy and money laundering conspiracy in November. Paperwork filed to the Eastern District of New York on Thursday shows he plans to change his plea.
A court date for Jones to formally change his plea is scheduled for April 28.
Federal investigators alleged in the indictment that Jones had a relationship with a high-profile player that developed while Jones played on the Cleveland Cavaliers and later coached for the Lakers.
That relationship allowed him access to nonpublic information about that player's medical status ahead of the Lakers game against the Milwaukee Bucks on Feb. 9, 2023, according to the indictment.
Power forward LeBron James was out for the Lakers that night due to a sore left ankle and foot, according to a game recap.
Jones also allegedly sold information about another Lakers player hours before that player appeared as "probable" in the NBA's injury report before Los Angeles played the Oklahoma City Thunder Jan. 15, 2024.
Anthony Davis was the only Lakers player listed as probable on the injury report from that day.
That information from Jones led his co-conspirators to place a $100,000 bet hours before the injury report went public, the indictment said.
